Identification band



y 24, 1951 F. R. wALLlcfl 2,561,894

IDENTIFICATION BAND Filed March 1, 1948 [N V EN TOR 2779112 wzzz'czPatented July 24, 1951 UNITED) srATssmam 2,561,894 IDENTIFICATIONIBANDFredR. Wallich, Los Angeles, cam.

Application March 1, 1948, Serial No. 12,337

This invention concerns the science of identification of individuals,and more particularly is a system for the safe labelling of new borninfants for their reliable identification, especially in maternityhospitals.

.It is well known that confusion often happens in the correctidentification of new born babies; even. in well regulated maternityinstitutions. 'Many attempts have been made to solve the numerousdifficulties incident to the use of marking devices and systems inconnection with the effective identification of babies. The presentinvention has in view the provision of an organized system by the use ofwhich a band can be applied to an arm orfa leg of a new born child in avery short time after the birth.

A further intent of the'invention is to provide a marking system inwhich is'supplied a tough, flexible; water and oil resistive band,wholly free of metallic elements and which involves no harmfulingredients to possibly react with ill'effect on'the childs skin. I

Additionally, it is in the ken of the invention to provide a markingband of such a nature'that I 1 Claim. (01. 40-221) 2 coiled into bandform for closing about an infants (limb (wrist or ankle).

Figure 3*is a sectional view of a boxed solution and band kit.

Figure 4 is a transverse legend: strip.

In its preferred embodiment the invention concross-section of thesists-ofa suitable size piece of strip like-materiajl such as a lightWeight and sufiiciently strong cloth 2. This strip is impregnated with adesired liquid which will dry firm and constitute a varnish coat 3 whichWill take an inscription in ink or other suitable material to provide aclearly viewable legend or named to constitute a label foridentification'purposes. One'of such impregnating substances is liquidcellulose acetate; this having been found to be particularlyadvantageous because it renders the strip 2 water and oil repellant andsufliciently flexible to be readily coiled into wrist or leg band form5, Fig.2.

At the time of birth of a baby three of the "strips 2 are removed from akit box B and the the mother's name, and her fingerprint as want- 1 ed,may be easily and quickly appliedand then given a protective coat ofdurable, water and oil bands for infants; one such varnish being of thecellulose-acetate group.

The invention resides in certain advancements in this art as set forthin the ensuing'disclosure and having, with the above, additional objectsand advantages as will be hereinafter developed desired legend or name 4is inscribed on onev (the outer) face of the bandingmaking strip, andthen the outer face of the strip is coated with a mixture of celluloseacetate and acetone, known as having a strong afiinity for the acetateim 'pregnation'as a varnish 6. For instant avail.- ability -a vesselV'of this acetone .mixture is provided as a part of the band kit in thehandy box B.

At the most opportune moment after the birth of the baby such endmargins of the strip 2 as will lap one on the other to complete theband,

and whose constructions, combinations and de- I tails of means and themanner of operation will be made manifest in the following descriptionof the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood thatequivalents, variations, modifi-' cations and adaptations may beresorted to within the scope, spirit and principles of the invention asit is claimed in conclusion hereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the band blank.

Figure 2" is a perspective of an inscribed blank when applied to thegiven limb, will be moistened by an application of the saidacetonemixture as at I whereby to make a strong adhesive contact of the lappedband ends.

If desired, the impregnated band blank 2 may have a thin coating of anydesired material, starch H for instance, to facilitate making the legendimprint.

' The blank 2 may be made of a suitably soft or pliant vinyl orcellulosic plastic body without use of the reinforcing fabric, and whichhas the several properties of long life and desired cleanliness, andsafety of the applied legend against tampering, and permanence asdocumentary evi-- dence.

It is old to apply identification limb bands to new-born babies butheretofore such bands would not keep clean or remain applied and werethere fore unsatisfactory, This. invention provides a ends areadhesively attached by a strong and reliable medium making thempractically inseparable by wear and liquid attack, and which band willstay in useful condition for the confinement period, and is removablepractically, only by actual cutting apart. Also, the invention providesa band which, when removed from the baby, can be used as actualdocumentary evidence for record purposes; a quality not heretoforeavailable in identification bands for baby use. Inusing this system ofbaby marking, at birth, one band can be employed for the preservation ofrecord by a parent, one can be used for a permanent doctors orinstitutional record ele-' I ment, and one, by use on a babys ankle,affords a protection against surreptitious tampering, as is possiblewhich are quickly accessible.

In this system the about the actual time of birth and as birth isoccurring the band can be instantly coated at I with an adhesive, as ofthe acetone mix, which will quickly set under slight finger pressure andwithout heat, and as soon as the baby is handed over to the nurse shewill wrap the band about. the limb and clinch the lapped ends. Bands maybe applied on as many limbs of a baby as desired; to give ampledocumentary record. An advantage had by this system is that the cost ofidentifica tion insurance is greatly reduced.

The cellulosic nature of the band gives it great life; its adherredlapping ends will stay reliably in place for a long period; thevarnished legend is fool proof and practically unalterable by oil orwater action, and the band stays clean and attractive for the fullperiod needed. The devices may be of any suitable color.

The basal strip 2, bearing'the imprinted or inscribed legend, and thecovering varnish coat constitute a safe, laminated band.

The system is economical; it gives the mother a strong sense of securityof baby identification; it is'fool-proof in employment, and it affords areliable basis for legal, documentary evidence.

The mothers finger prints are applied to the obverse face of theplastics film at or about the time of labor and the inscribed legend andmarks are at once coated by the quick drying acetone varnish forreliable protection of the markings.

if bands are applied only to wrists I band is prepared, as to iden- I Itification legend and mothers finger prints, at

A thin soft, cushion layer of appropriate material is shown at 10, butit is not essential in the plastics band.

What is claimed is:

A birth-record, band-blank adapted for inscription and application to ababy limb at the immediate time of birth and comprising a strip offabric impregnated by a water and oil resistive solid filler of thenature of cellulosic acetate; one face of the impregnated strip havingan additive coating of the same substance as the filler with an addedabrasive for and to facilitate making a written inscription; and aninscription face protecting varnish of the same substance of the fillercovering said coating and the inscription and bonding the appliedinscription and said coating onto the impregnated fabric whereby toconstitute a durable and reliable record device in which the inscriptionis sealed as an integral. part of the band-blank, said varnish renderingthe record water and oil resistive and substantially irremovable Without"evidence of destruction; the ends of the blank being adapted to beaffixed in face-lapped position by an application of the protectingvarnish.

FRED R. WALLICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,093,743 'Iegarden Apr. 21,1914 1,356,053 Dunning Oct. 19,1920 1,371,925 Morgenthaler Mar. 15, 19211,502,137 De Forrest et al. July 22, 1924 1,609,731 Leohner Dec. 7, 19261,806,142 Beck May 19, 1931 1,827,761 Muller Oct. 20, 1931 1,830,411Schork Nov. 3,1931 1,849,774 Taylor: Mar. 14,1932 1,970,755 Knoll Aug.21, 1934 1,994,507 Farris Man-19, 1935 2,020,007 Wagman Nov.5, 19352,072,221 Scheetz Mar. 2, 1937 2,330,855 'Woolf Oct. '5, 1943 2,335,333Wysong Nov. 30, 1943 2,352,747 Whitehead Q. July 4, 1944

